Supporting and stretching device for woven-wire springs.



, s. w. BENNETT. SUPPORTING AND STRETGHING DEVICE FOB WOVEN WIRESPRINGS.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

APPLICATION FILEI) NOV.5,1908.

'THE NoRms PETERS co., wAswrNcrcN. D. c.

UNITED STATES FriTFN-il OFFIC.

SILAS W. BENNETT, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOELMER N.

i HUTCHINS, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

f SUPPORTING AND STRETCHN G DEVICE FOR WOVEN-WIRE SPRINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 30, 1909.

Application filed November 5, 1908. Serial No. 461,181.

To yall whom 'it may concern:

,Be .it known that I, SILAs IV. BENNETT, a citizen V of the UnitedStates, residing at Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSupporting and Stretching Devices for Toven- -WireA Springs; and I dodeclare the follow ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilledfin the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

4This invention rela-tes to improvements in bed-spring supports andstretchers.

The object of the invention is to provide a fdevice of this character bymeans of which .Woven wire springs may be secured to bedsteads, couchesand the like, and by means of which the springs may be stretched andtightened to take up the sag therein.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts aswill be described and par ticularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view of a bed-steadshowing t-he application of the device thereto; Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe same; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through one of the siderails of the bed showing one of the bearing brackets and one end of thewinding roll engaged therewith; Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinalsectional view through the parts shown in Fig. 3 taken on the line 4&4of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a modified form ofbracket and means for fastening the same to the bed-rail.

In the embodiment of the invention I provide a plurality of bearingbrackets, 1, one of which is secured to the head end of each of thesiderrails of the bed or couch frame. The bearing brackets shown in therst four figures of the drawings comprise a base or rail-engagingportion, 2, said base having on its inner edge a downwardlyT andinwardly projecting-flange, 3, which is adapted to engage the under sideof the angleiron rails of the bed. The base, Q, and Hange, 3, areprovided with a centrallydisposed strengthening web or brace, 4L. In.

the flange, 8, is formed a centrally disposed enlargement or boss, 5, 1nwhich 1s formed athreaded passage, 6, to receive a set screw,

7, adapted to be screwed into engagement with the under side of the bedrail whereby the 'bracket is adjustably held in position thereon. Thebracket, 1, extends upwardly and projects at an incline beyond one endof the base, Q, and on the upper end of the bracket is formed a bearinghead, 8, provided with a bearing aperture, 9, having in its edge aseries of radially-disposed locking notches, 10, the purpose of whichwill hereinafter appear.

Revolnbly mounted in the bearing apertures, 9, of the brackets arewinding cylinders, 1Q. said cylinders having adjacent to one end anannular flange, 13, which, when the cylinder is in place, engages theinner side of the bearing heads, S, of the bracket and forms a stop tolimit the outward movenient of the cylinder. In the outer end of each ofthe cylinders, 1Q. is formed a square or rectangular socket, 14, adaptedto receive the end of a wrench or crank, 15, by means of which thecylinders are revolved. At diametrically opposite points in the outerends of each of thec \jlinders are formed locking notches, 1G, which areadapted to be ln'ought into alinelnent with the locking notches, 10, inthe bearing head, 8, of the brackets, and into the alined notches insaid head and cylinders are inserted locking pins or keys, 17, wherebythe cylinders are locked against rotation in the brackets. Through theinner portion of each of the bearing cylinders is formed a transverselydisposed elongated passage, 18.

The inner portions of the cylinders, 1Q, are adapted to be engaged withthe ends of a tubular winding roll, 19, which is arranged at the headend of the bed or couch. The ends of the roll, 1.9, are secured to thecylinders by means of transversely disposed fastening bolts, 20, whichare inserted. through apertures in the ends of the roll and through theelongated passages, 1S, in the cylinders. To the winding roll is securedthe forward end of a woven wire spring which extends from one end of thebedstead tothe other in the usual manner, and is connected at its rearend to an angle-iron cross bar, 19. the ends of which are secured in theheads 8 of brackets, 1', which are similar in construction to thebrackets, 1, at the head end of the bed, except that the heads, S', areadapted to receive the ends of the bar, 19', instead of the cylinder,12.

When the parts are arranged as herein described, the forward end of thespring may be wound upon the roll, 19, by the application of a wrench tothe winding cylinder l2, thereby stretching and tightening the spring tothe desired degree, after which one or more locking pins, 17, areengaged with the alined notches in the cylinders and bearing bracket,thereby locking the winding cylinders and roll against a retrogrademovement and holding the spring stretched.

In the forni of device shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing the bracketconsists of a bearing head, 2l, having a bearing aperture, 22, andlocking notches, 23. The inner end of the bracket is provided with atapered or wedge-shaped shank, 24C, having a fla-t railengaging surface,25, adapted to rest upon the upper side ofthe rails of the bed or couchframe. The shank, 24, of the bracket is securely fastened to the siderail by means of a clamping block, 26, having a shank-eng 0'ing portion,27, on the inner edge of which is formed av downwardly andinwardly-projecting right-angular flange, 28, which is adapted to engagethe under side of the rail clearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. On theouter edge of the shank engaging portion. 26, is formed a rightangularlyprojecting rail-engaging portion, Q9, on the lower edge of which isformed an inwardly and upwardly projecting rail-engaging flange, 30,which is provided with an inclined upper edge and is adapted to grip thelower edge of the rail, as shown. Then the clamping block is engagedwith the rail and wedge-shaped shank of the bracket, the latter will besecurely held in operative engagement with the rail by the tapered orwedgeshaped construction of the shank. By this construction, the greaterthe strain applied to the bracket, the more tightly will the same begripped and secured to the rail. From the foregoing description, takenin connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction andoperation ofthe invention will be readily understood without requiring amore extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing lany of the advantages of the invention as dened in theappended claim.

Having this described my invention, what the former niay be adjustedlongitudinally,

the outer ends of the winding cylinders eX- tending through the bearingbrackets, and means to key the outer ends of the winding cylinders tosaid brackets.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

sitas w. BENNETT.

litnesses ELMER N. HU'roHINs, CHARLES B. CUNNINGHAM.

